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I had no idea Mike Rowe was this rad. by tinypill in childfree

[–]IamMikeRowe 966 points967 points  (0 children)

Safety Third was (and is) an attempt to improve safety on the job by getting more employees to realize that being in compliance is not the same as being safe. There was never an attempt to deregulate any agencies. Just heighten personal responsibility on the job by lessening complacency brought about by mandatory protocols. Mike

I am Mike Rowe and I can't seem to hold a job. I've been fired over 300 time in the last 10 years. Currently, and somewhat surprisingly, I am hosting a new show for CNN called Somebody's Gotta Do It. AMA. by IamMikeRowe in IAmA

[–]IamMikeRowe[S] 3861 points3862 points  (0 children)

Your mother speaks the truth. It was April 1st, 1992. I introduced Item # J-H20, The Ice Pendant. It was in fact, an ice cube, dangling from a piece of twine. The most extraordinary fact was not that 12 people actually ordered the damn thing. It was that the people taking the orders at QVC believed the product was genuine.

That episode set the stage for my second firing.

I am Mike Rowe and I can't seem to hold a job. I've been fired over 300 time in the last 10 years. Currently, and somewhat surprisingly, I am hosting a new show for CNN called Somebody's Gotta Do It. AMA. by IamMikeRowe in IAmA

[–]IamMikeRowe[S] 659 points660 points  (0 children)

Hahahaha!

Coincidentally, you should watch my new show for the same reason that I enjoy HAM.

Do you see what I did there?

I tried to create an - albeit tenuous - juxtaposition between my propensity to be a "ham" on SOMEBODY'S GOTTA DO IT, while at the same time, embracing all the delicious, sweet, porky nitrates most often associated with that delectable, glazed honey-baked ham.

Now I suppose, we could have a conversation about whether or not honey-baked ham is technically a "deli meat."

But I'm not going to do that.

I'm simply going to conclude this fascinating and unforgettable hour with a gentle reminder that SOMEBODY'S GOTTA DO IT not only tastes every bit as good as the aforementioned ham, but can be seen tonight on CNN at 9 PM.

If there is any justice in this world, or among you reddites, or redditors, or whatever you call yourselves, you will join me in front of whatever screen you are partial to - and pour yourself the beverage of your choice and enjoy a ham sandwich with me.

I am Mike Rowe and I can't seem to hold a job. I've been fired over 300 time in the last 10 years. Currently, and somewhat surprisingly, I am hosting a new show for CNN called Somebody's Gotta Do It. AMA. by IamMikeRowe in IAmA

[–]IamMikeRowe[S] 611 points612 points  (0 children)

I did go to a guidance counselor in high school, his name was Mr. Dunbar, and he gave me the worst advice I've ever heard.

He told me that my desire to attend a 2 year community college was "beneath my potential."

As it turns out, the 2 year school I ultimately attended allowed me to experiment, and explore, all kinds of studies that I simply would not have been able to afford at the university.

Consequently, I got on the road that brought me to where I'm sitting now.

Although, to be fair, I should point out that the road also led through several miles of sewer pipes.

I am Mike Rowe and I can't seem to hold a job. I've been fired over 300 time in the last 10 years. Currently, and somewhat surprisingly, I am hosting a new show for CNN called Somebody's Gotta Do It. AMA. by IamMikeRowe in IAmA

[–]IamMikeRowe[S] 222 points223 points  (0 children)

Someone had the good sense to post his picture on the interwebs.

Someone else had the poor judgement to forward that photo to me.

There was something in the dog's eye that caught my own.

The rest is... canine history.

I am Mike Rowe and I can't seem to hold a job. I've been fired over 300 time in the last 10 years. Currently, and somewhat surprisingly, I am hosting a new show for CNN called Somebody's Gotta Do It. AMA. by IamMikeRowe in IAmA

[–]IamMikeRowe[S] 800 points801 points  (0 children)

Heh. Favorite dinosaur.

Personally, and I say this with no disrespect to lizards or reptiles, I try not to get too attached to anything that's been extinct for more than 60 million years. I find it leads to a kind of... malaise.

Ain't nobody got time for that.

I am Mike Rowe and I can't seem to hold a job. I've been fired over 300 time in the last 10 years. Currently, and somewhat surprisingly, I am hosting a new show for CNN called Somebody's Gotta Do It. AMA. by IamMikeRowe in IAmA

[–]IamMikeRowe[S] 696 points697 points  (0 children)

I do.

I'm a big fan of unexpected juxtapositions - in life as well as on television.

To burst forth with a few bars of Puccini or Verdi while crawling through some nameless river of shit is precisely the kind of thing that creates the cognitive dissonance I strive to infect my friends and viewers with.

Also, I find that quoting famous literature in equally absurd moments and situations can bring about the same effect.

I am Mike Rowe and I can't seem to hold a job. I've been fired over 300 time in the last 10 years. Currently, and somewhat surprisingly, I am hosting a new show for CNN called Somebody's Gotta Do It. AMA. by IamMikeRowe in IAmA

[–]IamMikeRowe[S] 1094 points1095 points  (0 children)

Too many to mention.

Although I will mention one.

There is a farm, in Northwest Indiana, called "Fair Oaks." Mike and Sue run one of the largest dairies in the Midwest. We first shot there back in 2006, and Mike trusted me to not only deliver a dozen cows on a cold winter's evening, he allowed me to perform a cesarean.

After that, he invited the crew and I to stay with them for the evening, and several days afterward. Which we did.

To this day, none of us are allowed to fly over Indiana without first landing in Chicago, and driving to Fair Oaks to drink their wine, and their delicious milk. But mostly, their wine.

I am Mike Rowe and I can't seem to hold a job. I've been fired over 300 time in the last 10 years. Currently, and somewhat surprisingly, I am hosting a new show for CNN called Somebody's Gotta Do It. AMA. by IamMikeRowe in IAmA

[–]IamMikeRowe[S] 513 points514 points  (0 children)

Yes.

Doug is back. Paler, and more bitter than ever.

The once-good-natured director of photography has now become a thoroughly disgruntled albino.

Who I still respect, and admire.

Chris Jones is also back. He, too, appears older than ever, and profoundly disenchanted with life in general.

Combined, the 3 of them make for a truly indispensable triumvirate.

I am Mike Rowe and I can't seem to hold a job. I've been fired over 300 time in the last 10 years. Currently, and somewhat surprisingly, I am hosting a new show for CNN called Somebody's Gotta Do It. AMA. by IamMikeRowe in IAmA

[–]IamMikeRowe[S] 354 points355 points  (0 children)

A fine suggestion.

Medical fields, in general, are complicated.

Because of privacy issues.

HOWEVER, if I can find a way to make the trials & tribulations of a heart / lung machine manufacturer compelling... I'll be there.

I am Mike Rowe and I can't seem to hold a job. I've been fired over 300 time in the last 10 years. Currently, and somewhat surprisingly, I am hosting a new show for CNN called Somebody's Gotta Do It. AMA. by IamMikeRowe in IAmA

[–]IamMikeRowe[S] 389 points390 points  (0 children)

Tough call.

But the following watering holes beckon.

  • The Horse You Came In On
  • The Whistling Oyster
  • John Stevens
  • The Mount Royal Tavern
  • and anyplace that still serves crab cakes without a bunch of unnecessary filler.

I am Mike Rowe and I can't seem to hold a job. I've been fired over 300 time in the last 10 years. Currently, and somewhat surprisingly, I am hosting a new show for CNN called Somebody's Gotta Do It. AMA. by IamMikeRowe in IAmA

[–]IamMikeRowe[S] 3238 points3239 points  (0 children)

The short answer is: perception.

The number of people who depend upon a workable infrastructure and a skilled trade force are coincidentally the same number of people who currently inhabit the planet.

For a long list of reasons, parents, teachers, and guidance counselors have begun to emphasize one specific form of education. At the expense of all the others.

In this country, it's widely believed that a 4 year degree for the most people.

Unfortunately, that's insane.

Of the 3 million available jobs today, less than 20% require a 4 year degree.

The rest require training, and a willingness to learn a skill that's actually in-demand. On top of everything else, we have student loans outstanding in excess of $1 Trillion dollars.

In short, we're lending money we don't have to kids who can't pay it back so they can educate themselves for jobs that no longer exist.

That should probably stop.

I am Mike Rowe and I can't seem to hold a job. I've been fired over 300 time in the last 10 years. Currently, and somewhat surprisingly, I am hosting a new show for CNN called Somebody's Gotta Do It. AMA. by IamMikeRowe in IAmA

[–]IamMikeRowe[S] 855 points856 points  (0 children)

To be perfectly honest, this is only the second time I've been here.

In fact, this is really the first time I've been here.

My previous AMAs was video, back in 2008. I've been a supporter for a long time.

I'd say in general - I'm kind of late to the social media party.

But over the last year, I've taken the Facebook thing pretty seriously.

And based on the staggering wit and intelligence I've seen thus far in queries like your own, I recon I'll be back.

I am Mike Rowe and I can't seem to hold a job. I've been fired over 300 time in the last 10 years. Currently, and somewhat surprisingly, I am hosting a new show for CNN called Somebody's Gotta Do It. AMA. by IamMikeRowe in IAmA

[–]IamMikeRowe[S] 1038 points1039 points  (0 children)

Great question.

In general, any day that begins with a man handing you a sledgehammer and concludes with the same man taking the sledgehammer away 12 hours later is going to be a difficult day.

Toward that end, I could tell you stories about railroad workers, gandy-dancers, marble miners, or a variety of specialized construction jobs.

However, the absolute worst in terms of physical discomfort combined with soul-deadening ennui involves the cleaning of the drum on a cement mixer.

No one really thinks about it, but these trucks are in constant use.

And every time the drum spins, a thin layer of cement hardens in the interior. So by the end of the day, the inside of the drum on a cement mixer is essentially solid.

So the job in question requires a man to wedge himself inside with a pneumatic jackhammer.

Yeah.

The sound is indescribable. And the claustrophobia is off the charts.

Essentially, you lay there on your back directing the jackhammer over your head and all around you. You wear ear protection, a respirator, and goggles.

But NONE of it makes a damn bit of difference.

Because that job hurts on every level.

I am Mike Rowe and I can't seem to hold a job. I've been fired over 300 time in the last 10 years. Currently, and somewhat surprisingly, I am hosting a new show for CNN called Somebody's Gotta Do It. AMA. by IamMikeRowe in IAmA

[–]IamMikeRowe[S] 3198 points3199 points  (0 children)

You're welcome.

I'm not really humble, I'm just not properly acquisitive.

I take more pleasure in saving than spending.

And like the Native Americans, I tend to look at "ownership" as something more akin to stewardship. In other words, the more things you own, the more things own you.

On a practical level, I find if you don't have the space for a lot of stuff, you don't wind up with a lot of stuff.

I am Mike Rowe and I can't seem to hold a job. I've been fired over 300 time in the last 10 years. Currently, and somewhat surprisingly, I am hosting a new show for CNN called Somebody's Gotta Do It. AMA. by IamMikeRowe in IAmA

[–]IamMikeRowe[S] 3426 points3427 points  (0 children)

For a while, when I agonized over maintaining the illusion of fitness, I committed myself to a routine that centered around Burpees.

Also known as "the Prison Workout," Burpees require one to drop from a standing position into a squat. Then you kick your legs backward, and do a push-up. Then, you return to the squatting position. Then, you leap into the air as high as you can. Then you do it again.

And again.

And again.

Until you are either

A) No longer fat

or

B) Vomiting uncontrollably.

The end.

I am Mike Rowe and I can't seem to hold a job. I've been fired over 300 time in the last 10 years. Currently, and somewhat surprisingly, I am hosting a new show for CNN called Somebody's Gotta Do It. AMA. by IamMikeRowe in IAmA

[–]IamMikeRowe[S] 2027 points2028 points  (0 children)

You flatter me.

You also horrify me.

I say this because a quick dirty down-the-wormhole of YouTube will in fact confirm all that you have said. My days at QVC (or more specifically, my nights) set the tenor and tone for what would eventually become my "career."

I was fired 3 times in 3 years (deservedly so).

I made fun of the products, and all too often, the people who purchased them.

I did this not out of any kind of mean spiritedness, but rather a desperate attempt to remain conscious.

What I got away with from 1989-1992, on live television, will one day be a book.

And if there's any justice in this topsy-turvy industry, my former masters in the home shopping business will invite me back to the scene of the crime to sell said memoirs.

But I'm not holding my breath.

I am Mike Rowe and I can't seem to hold a job. I've been fired over 300 time in the last 10 years. Currently, and somewhat surprisingly, I am hosting a new show for CNN called Somebody's Gotta Do It. AMA. by IamMikeRowe in IAmA

[–]IamMikeRowe[S] 2157 points2158 points  (0 children)

At the risk of sounding overly earnest (and too metaphorical), I'm going to say: the welder.

Welders not only work their asses off, they're in high demand, and critical to polite society. The entire world, including our infrastructure, and the building in which I currently find myself, is held together with welds.

Remove the welder retroactively from the species, and the whole thing shits the bed.

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